Agenda

Please see below for the agenda of the Sedona Forum 2019.

FRIDAY, May 3

Shining City on a Hill? Democracy Promotion in the Age of Authoritarians

Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the free world faces an unexpected challenge: authoritarianism is rising. Russia and China have presented alternative models of governance – call it “authoritarian capitalism,” or “managed democracy” – that are repressive, but which seem to produce power, wealth and global influence. These models are inspiring other authoritarians around the world and even gaining admirers even in free societies, while the world’s established democracies are divided internally and building walls externally. Can democracy pull itself together and once again emerge as an enviable model?

Innovation to Eliminate Modern Slavery

There are 40.3 million people enslaved around the world today. The international community has committed to ending modern slavery by 2030 as part of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Achieving this goal will only happen through purposeful partnerships, large-scale research and technological breakthroughs. This conversation will focus on how leading organizations are harnessing the value of big, open source data (including satellite imagery) and developing innovative technologies so that we may one day fully embrace the truth that labor must not be forced and that people are not for sale.

SATURDAY, May 4

The Crisis in Venezuela

Venezuela was once one of Latin America’s most stable and prosperous democracies, but has spiraled downward on all fronts at a dizzying pace after years of neglect by the autocratic regimes of Hugo Chavez and Nicolás Maduro. Since Chavez’s death and Maduro’s assumption of power, Venezuela’s economy has contracted every year since 2014; political and civil liberties have been ravaged, and corruption has run rampant. Over three million Venezuelans have left their country. On January 23, 2019, President of the National Assembly Juan Guaidó declared himself the interim president based on constitutional grounds. Now, Venezuela stands at critical crossroad, faced with the prospects of rebuilding its economy and social fabric or continuing down a destructive path.

Global Threats

Cyber offense, information warfare and space-based weapons may be the tools of future conflict among states. But even while these 21st-century technologies are emerging, states are still using 20th-century military means to take territory, defend regimes, dominate neighbors and threaten freedom of movement and trade. Panelists discuss efforts to deal with the old-fashioned threats presented by North Korea, Russia, China, terrorists and more.

Why U.S. Global Leadership (Still) Matters

Since the end of World War II, people and countries around the world have relied on the United States to exercise global leadership. Whether it is because of the U.S. embrace of fundamental freedoms and democratic values, its military dominance, its economic weight, its technological innovation, its humanitarian concern or simply the inspiration of a free society, the United States has been the fixed point on the compass for friends and foes alike. This U.S. leadership has, in turn, shaped a global order that favors democracy, prosperity and security. But with the rise of other powers and uncertainty over U.S. leadership, other actors are recalculating their behavior. For America’s allies, this is a dangerous trend. How is the rest of the world reacting to changes in U.S. leadership, and why does such leadership still matter today?

Introduction by Senator Jeff Flake, Former U.S. Senator, Arizona

Milo Đukanović, President of Montenegro

John Rood, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, U.S. Department of Defense

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, U.S. Senator, Rhode Island

Moderator: Senator Kelly Ayotte, Trustee, McCain Institute for International Leadership, and former Senator, New Hampshire

Geostrategic and Economic Implications of the Race to 5G

The fourth-generation industrial revolution is producing innovations that will dramatically change the way we live, work, play, prosper and defend ourselves. Transformational technologies such as advanced robotics, autonomous vehicles, remote surgery and machine-to-machine communications all share a common backbone – secure 5G wireless networks. This expert panel will discuss the geostrategic stakes of the global race to 5G and how the innovations it spawns will impact society, international relations, national security and defense.

Introduction by General (Ret.) James Jones, USMC, President, Jones Group International

Terry Halvorsen, CIO/EVP B2G, Samsung Electronics

Mike Stone, Global Head of Technology Transformation for Infrastructure, Government & Healthcare, KPMG

Kiersten Todt, President and Managing Partner, Liberty Group Ventures, LLC

According to UNHCR, the U.N. Refugee Agency, we are witnessing the highest levels of human displacement in history: 68.5 million people around the world have been forced from their homes. They flee violence, war, famine, persecution and a host of other horrific conditions. Beyond the human suffering, the consequences of these refugee flows are also strategic, affecting everything from Brexit and the future of the EU, to stability in Southeast Asia, conflict in the Middle East and politics in the United States. Can we turn the tide on the refugee flows, protect people and build better governance, prosperity and security to prevent future migrations? How?

Introduction by Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Former U.S. Senator, North Dakota

Senator Chris Coons, U.S. Senator, Delaware

Jacquelline Fuller, President, Google.org

In conversation with:

Cindy McCain, Chair of the Board, McCain Institute for International Leadership

Future of U.S. Foreign Policymaking

The past several years of U.S. foreign policy can be characterized in many ways: “consistency” is not among them. U.S. foreign policy has swung from the “global war on terror” and interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, to “reset,” retrenchment and a “pivot” to Asia to “America First.” This era, too, will end. But what will come next? Who are America’s future foreign policy leaders, and what kind of foreign and national security policy will America pursue in the coming years? Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle debate the direction of U.S. foreign policy in 2020 and beyond.

Representative Will Hurd, Congressman, Texas 23rd District, U.S. House of Representatives

Representative Tom Malinowski, Congressman, New Jersey 7th District, U.S. House of Representatives

Moderator: Josh Rogin, Columnist, Washington Post

Navigating The Challenges of Online Content Policy: From Election Interference to ISIS

The internet presents a world of opportunities – including to groups with hateful and dangerous intentions. Terrorist groups like ISIS have used the online environment to recruit and propagandize. Russia has weaponized information to influence our politics. Hate speech is deliberately used to create political discord and motivate would-be domestic terrorists. How can we interrupt this malicious use of the internet? Where should the line be drawn between government and private sector responsibility? What more can technology companies do to prevent their platforms from being used to promote social discord, hatred and violence?

The 2020 Campaign

“It is tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” Yogi Berra was not talking about the 2020 election, but he may as well have been. Was the 2016 election a harbinger of things to come, or an anomaly? Have the divisions in U.S. society, amplified by cable news and social media, fundamentally changed presidential politics? What does a successful campaign look like in this populist and digital age? To what degree should we be concerned about outside influence? Are concepts like “unity” and “civility” still realistic? Two strategic minds who led past presidential campaigns discuss the road ahead.

Introduction by Mark Salter, Writer

David Axelrod, Director, The University of Chicago Institute of Politics